UP alert over dust storm warning
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday issued a statewide alert in view of the dust storm warning that the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said could strike in the next 24 hours.
The state meteorological department has also issued a warning of rain and thunderstorm across the state, especially in western UP, on Tuesday.
“The intensity of the thunderstorm is likely to remain moderate. The forecast is valid for May 8-9,” said director, met department, JP Gupta on Monday.
“Western disturbances in Jammu & Kashmir and adjoining areas along with cyclonic circulations over Rajasthan and western Madhya Pradesh will be responsible for another round of thunderstorm in west UP,” he said.
Gupta advised the authorities to make preparations to prevent loss of life and property due to the thunderstorm.
About 75 people were killed and over 80 others injured after a high velocity dust storm ravaged
various districts in Uttar Pradesh on May 2. Agra was the worst hit with over 50 deaths.
Relief commissioner Sanjay Kumar said all district magistrates have been directed to remain alert.
Leaves of all district administration officers have been cancelled. The officers and employees of fire services and health, electricity and revenue departments have been directed to be on duty round-the-clock during the alert period, he said.
Kumar said the district magistrates have also been directed to prepare a plan to carry out relief and rescue operation, if need be. The district administration officers have been asked to organise awareness meets with people regarding precautions to be taken during the storm, he said.
At a meeting of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in Delhi on Friday, the state government had raised the issue of non-availability of an alert from the meteorological department on the devastating storm that hit the state on May 2.
The resident commissioner of UP had told NDMA officers that the state should have been given ‘pin-pointed alerts’ regarding the storm so that effective mitigation mechanism could have been put in place to check the loss of life and property, said a senior state government officer. Kumar said: “If we get information three hours before the storm strikes, the local administration can warn people and also geared up for rescue operation. It will minimize loss of life.”